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There was a sea of people in the square. They hardly talked. The most that could be heard was a “how's it going”, which would be answered by a “how's it going” in the same tone. I saw more people hugging and looking at each other sadly than talking or protesting. Waves of applause could be heard at times, but I don't know what they were applauding. White balloons were released into the sky, but they'd fall back to the ground and end up popping. I heard people chanting Our Father and heard people singing (once again) the gaúcho anthem with fervor:

We must show the value of constancy
In this unjust war
May our deeds serve
As a model to the entire world

Funeral of the victims in the Santa Rita cemetery in Santa Maria. Photo by Vinicius Costa. Copyright Demotix (27/01/2013)

Marchers wear white in lieu of lighting candles in memory of the victims. Photo by Cassiana Machado Martins. Used with permission.

The masses dressed in white began to move. On the way I noticed that there were few people at the windows and this gave me the impression that the entire city was dressed in white on the streets. The white masses of people walked until the gymnasium. Inside we heard people yelling and people clapping. Then, we left since all of us wouldn't fit in the gymnasium and it wasn't our intention to bother anyone with our presence.

On February 3, a silent vigil took place close to Kiss nightclub. According to the newspaper Zero Hora, “more and more people began to show up after a religious service in honor of the dead held in the Medianeira Basilica end, gathering about 4,000 people”.

The traditional procession of Navegantes, which marks a holiday on February 2, was made to remember the incident as well. Twitter user Irmandade Navegantes (@navegantespoa) wrote on January 29:

@navegantespoa: On February 2, let's gather in prayer, during the Navegantes procession, for Santa Maria.

Residents of Porto Alegre display messages of comfort for Santa Maria. Photo by Cassiana Machado Martins. Used with permission.

In the capital city of Porto Alegre, a march was organized on Facebook for February 3, leaving from the Arco da Redenção. The goal of the march, which attracted about 5,000 people, was to “direct positive energy and thoughts to the victims and their families”: